PTA - Adamsville Elementary

Update on the Georgia Performance Standards

Aug 18, 2004

The Georgia Performance Standards (GPS) is the new state curriculum covering the major subjects in all grades. The State Board of Education approved the standards for English/Language Arts, grades 4-12; Science K-12; and Math K-8 at the July meeting. The proposed English/Language Arts standards for grades K-3 are available on the GPS website for review, and expected to be adopted in September.

The Social Studies curriculum, Grades K-12, is available for review during the next 60 days. The goal of these performance standards is for students to become informed citizens, not historians. They are quite a bit different from the way the social studies curriculum is currently constructed.

When first proposed early in 2004, there were more public comments received on the social studies curriculum than the other subjects. The common threads of concerns were: gaps in the curriculum; pared down too much; scope and sequence not complete. The curriculum has been revised, with an increased amount of geography and strengthened economics.

In addition to the specific standards, the GPS website contains summaries and videos about the standards, frequently asked questions, and the implementation timeline.


The Georgia Performance Standards (GPS) can be found on the Georgia Department of Education (GDOE) website